J80 
APHIS. 
of the more prolific animals, it has been ordained 
by the Author of Nature that such should be di- 
minished by serving as food for others. On this 
princi})le vve find that most animals in this pre- 
dicament have one or more natural enemies. 
The helpless Aphis, the scourge of the vegetable 
kingdom, has to contend with many. The prin- 
cipal are the Coccinella, the Ichneumon Aphidunij 
and the Musca aphidivora. Such as are un- 
acquainted with the history of insects will learn 
with surprise that the Cocci nella, a common in- 
sect, well known even to children by the name of 
the Lady-Bird, is one of the greatest destroyers of 
the Aphides, which indeed are its only food, its 
sole support, as well in its perfect as in its larva 
or grub state. During the severity of winter this 
insect secures itself under the bark of trees or 
elsewhere. When the warmth of spring has ex- 
panded the foliage of plants, the female deposits 
its eggs on them in great numbers, from whence 
in a short time proceeds the larva, a small grub, 
of a dark lead-colour spotted with orange: these 
may be observed in the summer season running 
pretty briskly over all kinds of plants; and if 
narrowly watched, they will be found to devour 
the Aphides wherever they find them. The same 
may be observed of the Lady-Bird in its perfect 
state. As these insects in both their states are 
very numerous, they contribute powerfully to di- 
minish the number of Aphides. Another most 
formidable enemy to the Aphis is a v^pry ipinute 
black and slender Ichneumon fly, which eats its 
way out of the Aphis, leaving the dry inflated skin 
